Bobby Jones Golf Club: $25 million cash cow

City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo stated that Bobby Jones Golf Club has brought in more than $25 million in revenue to the City of Sarasota over the last 10 years, estimating there might have been one million rounds of golf played there.
"You're talking about a place _ $25 million going through there _ it's a busy facility," Caragiulo said. "But revenue almost always equals expenses."
Its maintenance contract costs $1.4 million a year, meaning that $1.1 million per year from Bobby Jones is funneled to the city coffers, after expenses, each year. Except when emergencies arise.
"We had a fund balance, but administrative costs (at Bobby Jones) deplete funds out of there," Caragiulo said.
That's because the course's infrastructure is antiquated and repairs have cut into that profit figure recently.
“The facility is in desperate need of some type of master long-term plan,” Caragiulo said. “We have to figure out what the whole big picture is, what we need to do, what should we do and how can we do it? The bigger question is whether the city should be in the golf business and in what capacity?”
The city budget for the coming fiscal year starts Oct.1.
“This timing is perfect to make this assessment,” Caragiulo said.

Tom Balog

Tom Balog is a reporter for HT Golf. Contact him via email, or at (941) 315-0764.

Last modified: September 15, 2014
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